Pro-democracy protesters from Pattaya area join recent protests in Bangkok

Banglamung –

More than 100 protesters from Pattaya who called themselves ‘Thai Mai Ton’ joined a protest against the Thai government in Bangkok over the past weekend despite traveling restrictions calling for only essential travel currently due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Protesters on motorbikes and cars massed up in front of the Sukhawadee House in Banglamung on Sunday, August 15th, 2021. The Pattaya News does not estimate crowd sizes as an editorial policy, however, protesters themselves claimed to number over a hundred people.

The group began their journey to Bangkok by driving on Sukhumvit Road.  When the group arrived at a checkpoint in Mueang Chonburi, however, police manning the checkpoint temporarily stopped them. The Pattaya News was present for the situation.

Mueang Chonburi Police announced to the protesters that Chonburi is now one of 29 maximum control areas due to high numbers of Covid -19. Amongst many restrictions and rules, more than five people gathering together without permission from authorities is banned. Offenders could be jailed for up to two years or fined up to 40,000 baht.

Mueang Chonburi police briefly blocked the path of the protest caravan, stating that they could be violating the current Emergency Decree against Covid-19 by gathering to go to Bangkok for a protest. Protests, assemblies, rallies, and similar events are also current technically banned due to Covid-19 prevention measures.

Police also stated that the stop had nothing to do with politics and was only due to the Covid-19 situation and out of concern for, according to them, the health of the protesters.

One of the protest leaders, who declined to give his name, told Chonburi Police, “We are listening to what police said, we hear you but we are not following. We are heading to Bangkok anyway either from this route or we will find another. Either that or the police will have to arrest all of us.”

The protesters in the car rally continued their journey to Bangkok eventually after police decided to let them go to avoid a potential conflict or problem but warning them that they could be spreading Covid-19. The protesters participated in the rally in Bangkok and according to their group stayed peaceful and did not participate in conflicts with law enforcement following the car rally. Instead, according to the group, they returned home to Pattaya.

As for the protest rally in Bangkok, you can read about how that went by clicking and reading right here!

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for more than four years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.